Blind Devotion
by Forgotten Echoes
Summary: For a woman cursed by her goddess, who knew love was a possibility? A story where Medusa finds love in a woman who cannot see.
1. Devotion

After her goddess' betrayal, Medusa no longer held her trust in the gods. Perhaps in another life she would be a devoted servant of Athena, a pure maiden who held no love but for her patron goddess, but that life was not the one she lived. All knew that the favor of the gods was fickle, but she had never thought that their fickleness would extend to those seeking sanctuary. The subtle hissing of the snakes around her ears, and the frozen forms of unsuspecting men taught her otherwise. Knowledge was power, but too much was a curse, and she knew curses all too well.

A cave, not a house nor a temple of a benevolent god(dess), but a hallowed out hole in the side of the earth was to be her new home. Placing a hand on the inside of the rough and irregular stone, Medusa sighed. With her appearance, she could not have housing near her own people for fear of her life. One feared gaze upon her body, if they never looked at her eyes, would lead to Demi-gods trying to slay her in their parents favor. And that was something the once beauty would do her best to avoid.

Time passed with the urgency of the lowest creatures, but Medusa took it in hand as she snuck into empty houses and took simple things to make her new 'home' livable. A few blankets here and there, a couple vases, a few shawls, and plates. Nothing was taken twice from the same house, and never within the same day. The moon made its full circle when the cave resembled a home, and her heart no longer as raw and tender as it once was. That's not to say life was easier, no. Catching prey was a trial in itself, and she was sure that Lord Apollo and Artemis laughed at her attempts of archery, but Poseidon he must have taken pity upon her for fishing rewarded her with a full belly and sound sleep. That was her life as the nights grew cold and the moon stayed longer whilst the sun went away sooner. But then, things changed one season as the air grew warmer and the snow melted away.

She forced herself to blink a few times, just in case her curse began to affect her eyes in different ways, but the image before her stayed the same. It was a woman, but one who didn't scream in terror. This woman was quiet, but had hair that looked like the very image of fire. Her skin of fresh copper, but her eyes. Medusa stopped, barely a yard away from the strange woman, and stared. Her eyes were like the clearest of skies, yet unseeing.

Her snakes hissed softly, causing the woman to take a step back, gasping in fear. "They won't harm you." Medusa covered her mouth almost immediately after speaking, not knowing why she said anything. Internally she berated herself, if she had kept quiet then her secret would be safe, if she had kept quiet then she would live to see another day. So absorbed in scolding herself, she didn't see the copper skinned woman getting closer and closer until a hand was on her arm.

"You live here? With snakes?" Coral pink lips parted to ask, before smiling. "You are definitely braver than I... I am called Malia." So the woman was called Malia, it was a good name. "What is yours?" She asked, letting fire colored curls fall in front of her eyes. Medusa froze in surprise, she had not spoken to anyone in a long time, yet here was this wisp of fire asking her for her name. "I am... I am called Medusa."


	2. Suspicion

Medusa froze in surprise, she had not spoken to anyone in a long time, yet here was this wisp of fire asking her for her name. "I am... I am called Medusa."

"Medusa?" Malia said with a smile, her unseeing eyes managing to brighten despite the dimly lit cave. "You have a lovely name, but I can't help but wonder.." Her hand stayed on Medusa's arm while the other felt along the chipped rocky wall. "why do you live here amongst the serpents? Surely someone will take you in?"

Medusa couldn't help but smile sadly as she placed a hand over Malia's. "Your name is lovely as well, but you cannot stay here. While my serpents will not harm you, that isn't to say others won't." She warned, her snakes rising to taste the air. Was this woman followed? Can she truly not see? The cursed woman had found out the hard way that she cannot turn women to stone, but that did not mean she was safe. "Were you accompanied by someone?" Careful of her nails, she made to move the other woman's hand off her arm.

"I was told to wait, but I got curious when I heard the birds." Malia blushed, presumedly in embarrassment. "I had never heard this type of bird before.. I was curious, and then when it went away I realized I had no idea where I was."

Medusa stared at the woman with a look of disbelief, someone would come after this woman and then see her. Her snakes relayed her discontent with an irritated hiss, some of them rising up and baring their fangs, to no avail since the woman supposedly could not see. "I will lead you towards the path, but you should leave." While this woman was beautiful, as beautiful as she used to be, she could not risk both their lives over a graze of Cupid's arrow. "Do not worry about my snakes, but follow me." The once beauty kept her hand over Malia's and guided her out and away from the domesticated cave. The sun was still up, and she was not entirely used to being out and about at this time. Too easily seen. Too easily captured.

"I'm sorry for intruding, I won't bother you again. But could I pet one of your snakes before I go? I've never been allowed to touch one before." Sky blue eyes, clear yet unseeing, averted to look in what seemed to be Medusa's direction. "Please?"

This woman would be her end, she could feel it. Coming to a stop, the cursed woman sighed before taking Malia's hand in hers and holding it. "Just once." Calling down one of her tamer snakes, she brought the copper toned hand up to the scales and watched her little flame light up with joy.


End file.
